Father appears on sex charges

Last updated 11:44 13/02/2013

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A father accused over his role in a $500 deal with a paedophile for the sexual abuse of his son has been granted continued interim name suppression.

The South Canterbury man appeared in the Oamaru District Court today to face 40 charges, including sexual violation, indecent assault and making, distributing and possessing an objectionable publication.

His child is in Child, Youth and Family care but is being looked after by his family.

Judge Joanna Maze declined to name the accused.

The summary of facts and the charges were not read out, so the packed courthouse was unaware of the sensitive charges the accused faces.

The matter was adjourned until April 17 for a post-committal conference at the Oamaru District Court to allow the accused to get disclosure and legal advice on the indicatably laid charges.

The charges follow a North Island paedophile admitting a raft of horrific offences against children after New Zealand police infiltrated an international "spider web" of child abusers.

Aaron John Ellmers, 41, was arrested in Christchurch, and police say their intervention rescued four New Zealand children, ranging in age from 13 months to 13 years, from further abuse.

Ellmers appeared in the Hastings District Court last week and admitted multiple child-sex offences that Crown lawyer Steve Manning described as among the country's worst.

One of the offences involved Ellmers offering $500 to the South Canterbury father for "sexual gratification" with his 18-month-old son.